Developmentally Appropriate Intelligent Spatial Tutoring for Mobile Devices

Nowadays, smart mobile devices such as tablets and accompanying applications (apps) are a part of young children's daily lives. In kindergarten education, properly designed digital educational activities can become a potent educational tool for efficient and effective learning. These tools allow children to take advantage of new learning platforms and effectively reach new knowledge through activities related to their immediate interests and real-life scenarios in learning domains, such as mathematics. At the Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete, systematic research was carried out in the last years to investigate whether there are compelling benefits to using tablet-type devices in preschool education to implement teaching reform proposals to implement the Realistic Mathematical Education in kindergarten classrooms. The findings propose mobile devices' integration, running developmentally appropriate apps, in kindergarten classrooms. These apps were based on the three levels of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME), targeting fundamental mathematical concepts for the kindergarten level.

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Framework for Selecting Vocabulary for Preliterate Children Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2019_ajslp-18-0041 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 1000-1009

Author(s):

Allison Bean ◽

Lindsey Paden Cargill ◽

Samantha Lyle

Keyword(s):

Language Impairment ◽

Augmentative And Alternative Communication ◽

Developmentally Appropriate ◽

School Age Children ◽

Alternative Communication ◽

School Based ◽

Selection For ◽

Nonverbal Children ◽

Grammatical Structures ◽

Insufficient Knowledge

Purpose Nearly 50% of school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide services to school-age children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). However, many SLPs report having insufficient knowledge in the area of AAC implementation. The objective of this tutorial is to provide clinicians with a framework for supporting 1 area of AAC implementation: vocabulary selection for preliterate children who use AAC. Method This tutorial focuses on 4 variables that clinicians should consider when selecting vocabulary: (a) contexts/environments where the vocabulary can be used, (b) time span during which the vocabulary will be relevant, (c) whether the vocabulary can elicit and maintain interactions with other people, and (d) whether the vocabulary will facilitate developmentally appropriate grammatical structures. This tutorial focuses on the role that these variables play in language development in verbal children with typical development, verbal children with language impairment, and nonverbal children who use AAC. Results Use of the 4 variables highlighted above may help practicing SLPs select vocabulary that will best facilitate language acquisition in preliterate children who use AAC.

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Food for Thought on Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing

Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia) ◽

10.1044/sasd17.3.110 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 110-118 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Joan C. Arvedson

Keyword(s):

Developmentally Appropriate ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Silent Aspiration ◽

Multiple Systems ◽

Young Infants ◽

Adequate Understanding ◽

Nutrition And Hydration ◽

Pediatric Feeding ◽

Areas Of Concern ◽

And Function

Abstract “Food for Thought” provides an opportunity for review of pertinent topics to add to updates in areas of concern for professionals involved with feeding and swallowing issues in infants and children. Given the frequency with which speech-language pathologists (SLPs) make decisions to alter feedings when young infants demonstrate silent aspiration on videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS), the need for increased understanding about cough and its development/maturation is a high priority. In addition, understanding of the role(s) of laryngeal chemoreflexes (LCRs), relationships (or lack of relationships) between cough and esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux (GER), and chronic salivary aspiration is critical. Decision making regarding management must take into account multiple systems and their interactions in order to provide safe feeding for all children to meet nutrition and hydration needs without being at risk for pulmonary problems. The responsibility is huge and should encourage all to search the literature so that clinical practice is as evidence-based as possible; this often requires adequate understanding of developmentally appropriate neurophysiology and function.

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